The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-04
GLASS INTER- LUNGS
A Daring Operator Saves n Iady's
Life-Her Chest Is Opened and
. n Part OF Her Ribs and IN
Lung Cut Away.


ing open the chest, cutting into the
lung and removing n foreign body; the
patient recovering. Abdominal surgery
has become an every day occurrence,
but this procedure has never before
been attempted. The chest cavity with
its contained organs is constant bug
bear to the doctors. The patient Is
young lady of about twenty, the daugh-
ter of an Eastern stock broker When
child at play she was thoughiless
enough to put n colored glass bottle in
her mouth. BY some sudden motion or
jar the glass was broken and part OF it
went into her windpipe A violent tit
OF coughing ensued and smallbis were
expcctor;ued but from the symptoms
manifested il was evident that port on
OF the glass still remained in her throat
Severe hemorrhage ensued the next
day. and was only checked by the most
energetic measures. The bleeding oc-
cured the next day and the next. and
each time
THREATENING TO TERMINATE FATALLY.
At the end of n week the flow of blood
was stopped, and the child showed
signs of improvement Its appetite re-
turned. and its usual fondness for play
was seen. yet at times in the midst of
its frolics the little one would stop, put
her hand TO her chest and give evidence
of the most terrible suffering. 1t was
hoped the child would outgrow the af-
lection, as it was believed its condition
was due to disease of the lungs. At
the age of six years, however, the child
had an attack of spasmodic coughing,
which lasted about ten minutes, and
terminated in the expulsion OF several
pieces of glass rs large rs the end OF Il
lead-pencil. At this time she again
nearly bled to death, but this was
averted, and she Immediately grew
better. Her convalescence was rapid,
and in months time she was able to
start to school. She made satisfactory
progress in her school work, and at
last graduated. at the age of seventeen,
with high honors. One year later a
hacking cough appeared, accompanied
by loss of flesh and strength, impaired
appetite, pallor, and all the
ACCoMPANIMENrs OF EARLY CoNsuMP-
& ..|-- TON. ~ sIe~
The doctor in attendance was firm
| in the belief that this was the malady
so rapidly carrying her TO the grave.
Medicines were given, but without
avail
One day while the physician was cx-
aiming her small red spot was
noticed on the left side just below the
arm-pit. 1t was very tender on press
ure, evidently containing pus. The
idea at once struck the doctor that q
piece of the glass swallowed years be-
fore might have lodged in this spot, and
after so long remaining quiet had be-
gan TO make its presence known. with
the consent of the young lady and her
friends, preparations were mide for an
operation, with the view of finding out
the cause of her disease, and, if posi-
BILE, remedying it.
The patient was etherized at ten
O'Clock in the morning. Forty-hye
minutes later the operation was COM
pleted.
After thoroughly cleansing the part
with antiseptic solution the knife was
entered just beneath the pit of the arm
and drawn downward two inches. A
large quantity of offensive matter es-
capped.
ON INTRODUCING THE FINGER
into the wound cavity was found as
large as small orange. This was
lined by very tough adherent tissue.
At one point could easily be felt the
sharp edge of piece of glass. II was
impossible to extract il through the
/. opening made without endangering the
adjacent tissue. Consequently, about
one and half inches of the rib oppo-
site was sawed of. thus giving the sur
geon good veiw. and perm t.
ting the manipulation Of instruments.
The pieces of glass was attached
SO tightly, that il had to be cut loose by
curved scissors. Little or no bleeding
occurred. however. After searching
around the cavity to be sure that moth
ing more remained. it was washed out
with antiseptic water. A rubber tube
was introduced to dram away the dis